Scope of writing
Feedback on your draft costs far less than someone drafting the proposal or book for you.
Costs
What Book Proposal and Publishing Help Really Costs
Published prices for book proposal help run from $800 for a critique and consultation to $2400 for proposal coaching on Anne Janzer’s site, while The Editorial Department charges $.004 per word plus $75 per hour.
Last updated: November 2026
How much does a book proposal writing service cost?
It depends on how much of the work the provider does. Critique costs least, coaching more, and full drafting more still. Done-for-you publishing such as Big Impact Books covers the whole book, publishing, and promotion, so it is priced differently from a proposal; its fees are not listed in the facts we reviewed.
Published market prices, with sources
| Provider and service | Published price | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anne Janzer: book proposal coaching | $2400 | Paid in two installments | annejanzer.com |
| Anne Janzer: critique and consultation | $800 | Single critique and consultation | annejanzer.com |
| The Editorial Department: proposal review | $.004 per word; $75 per hour | Per word for source material review; hourly for feedback and consultation | editorialdepartment.com |
| Big Impact Books: done-for-you book | Not listed in the facts we reviewed | Covers planning, writing, publishing, and promotion | yourbigimpactbook.com |
What raises or lowers the price?
Length and condition
Per-word fees scale with length. A messy draft needs more hours than a clean one.
What comes after
Proposal services end at the proposal. Publishing, design, and promotion are separate unless a provider bundles them, as Big Impact Books does.
Estimate a per-word proposal review fee
This worksheet uses one published fee schedule so you can see how length and consultation time add up.
Assumptions: uses only the fee schedule The Editorial Department publishes for book proposals ($.004 per word for review of source material and $75 per hour for feedback and consultation). Other providers price differently. This is an estimate, not a quote or a financial decision.
Who should pick a different option?
If you want a traditional book deal and enjoy writing, proposal coaching or a critique is the more direct fit, and the published prices above make budgeting easy. If you have no budget at all, a free guide such as Jane Friedman’s proposal template lets you start today.
A done-for-you publisher fits CEOs and attorneys who value their time above all and want the book written, published, and promoted. Compare all four options on the same criteria in our ranked comparison, or return to the book proposal writing service guide.
Questions about costs and earnings
How much does a book proposal writing service cost?
Published prices vary by service type. Anne Janzer’s site lists book proposal coaching at $2400, paid in two installments, and a critique and consultation at $800. The Editorial Department lists $.004 per word to review source material and $75 per hour for feedback and consultation. Confirm current prices with each provider.
More in the full FAQ about How much does a book proposal writing service cost?How much does publishing a book cost?
It depends on how much you hand off. Doing it yourself can cost little beyond editing, cover design, and formatting, while done-for-you writing, publishing, and promotion costs considerably more. Big Impact Books does not list prices on the pages we reviewed, so check its main website at yourbigimpactbook.com for current details.
More in the full FAQ about How much does publishing a book cost?What makes a book proposal or book project cost more?
Scope drives price: how much writing the provider does, the length of the book, the state of any existing draft, the number of revision rounds, and whether publishing and marketing are included. A critique costs less than drafting from scratch. Hourly fees, such as $75 per hour at The Editorial Department, make extra calls add up.
More in the full FAQ about What makes a book proposal or book project cost more?How much does an author make on a $25 book?
It depends on the royalty rate in the author’s contract or the publishing platform’s terms, minus printing costs where they apply. The math is the list price times your royalty rate. As an example, at a 10 percent royalty a $25 book earns $2.50 per copy. Check your own contract or platform royalty page for your real rate.
More in the full FAQ about How much does an author make on a $25 book?How many books to sell to make $100,000?
Divide $100,000 by what you earn per copy. At $2.50 per copy you would need 40,000 copies; at $5 per copy, 20,000. For context, a survey cited by Instant Press found a median 2022 book income of $2,000 for all authors. That is why most experts measure a book by clients and opportunities, not royalties.
More in the full FAQ about How many books to sell to make $100,000?What are self-publishing companies to avoid?
Rather than naming companies, look for warning signs: unclear pricing, pressure to buy add-ons, contracts that hold your rights for long periods, vague bestseller promises, and no finished books to show. Get the contract in writing, check who owns the files and the ISBN, and ask to speak with past authors.
More in the full FAQ about What are self-publishing companies to avoid?Want to see how a done-for-you authority book works?
Big Impact Books plans, writes, publishes, and promotes books for CEOs and attorneys in about one hour a week of interviews. Read about the full process and free checklists on its main website.